SINFUL OBEDIENCE?

When the apostles disobeyed the religious authorities, they were arrested and threatened with more severe punishments, even death. Peter and the apostles responded: "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight for us to obey you rather than God...Better for us to obey God than men!" (Acts 4:19; 5:29) They implied that if they disobeyed God by obeying man, they would stifle the Holy Spirit (1 Thes 5:19), because the Spirit is given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32). Furthermore, disobedience to God not only deprives us of the Spirit, but also of life. "Whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure the wrath of God" (Jn 3:36).

Clearly it is much better to obey God than man. If we disobey man, we may suffer briefly, be imprisoned, or be killed. If we disobey God, a prison can be put in us; we may be damned and suffer eternally. The Holy Spirit will show us where in our society man's law contradicts God's. The Spirit will show us how to oppose that most heinous law, the law legalizing abortion. The Spirit will teach us how to disobey man's laws that contradict God's.

Prayer: Father, show me how to practice "divine obedience," even when that means civil disobedience.

Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from April 1, 2009 through May 31, 2009.†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 3, 2008.

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.